Madrid, Spain, Mar 16, 2017 / 12:10 pm
The Spain-based branch of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has issued an urgent appeal for aid to continue its "Drop of Milk" project, which benefits more than 2,800 children in the city of Aleppo, Syria.
This initiative began in 2015 among various Christian churches to provide milk every month for children under 10 years of age.
Even though the fighting has ended in eastern Aleppo, ACN reported that "living conditions remain deplorable." Some 80 percent of the population of Aleppo is displaced, and 70 percent live below the poverty line, the group said in a statement.
Dr. Nabil Antaki, coordinator of the "Drop of Milk" project, has made an urgent appeal to keep it going.
"Every month we distribute milk to some 2,850 children: 2,600 get powdered milk and 250 servings of special formula milk for infants, including babies that can't be nursed by their mothers," the doctor said.
The charitable group also highlighted the testimony of Georgina, one of the project's beneficiaries, who is the mother of two daughters, 10 and 6 years old.
"Both Myriam and Pamela receive each month a kilo (2.2 lbs.) of powdered milk. Pamela's situation was critical after being struck in the back with shrapnel, and now that she's recuperating, she needs milk to get her health back. This project is very important for us, I want it to keep going," the mother said.
Aid to the Church in Need highlighted that a child in Aleppo can get milk for an entire month for $7.50 and for a whole year for $89. The foundation has committed to maintain this project during 2017 at a cost of $239,000.
The pontifical foundation has been sending funds for diverse emergency projects and support to the Syrian churches since the start of the war. In 2015, they allocated $5.9 million for Syria.